Holding on for Life, Holding on for Love
by amilner24
Summary: Sometimes, it takes losing something to realize what you had. Will it be too late for Oliver and Felicity? [cross-posted in AO3]
1. Girl Take a Seat, Rest Your weary Bone

This idea has been nagging at me for a while now. Just a few disclosures:  
\- Arrow characters used are not mine (obviously), I only own the doctor!  
\- Medical terminologies, timelines maybe wonky to those in the industry. I tried to research as much as I can.  
\- This is not beta'd.

This happens sometime in season 2, likely after The Count episode. No Sara/Oliver rekindling. Thea's paternity drama didn't exist!

Thoughts and feedback are welcome!

Oliver never got sick. Yes, he's had his fair share of injuries but he was never sick. So when Felicity received a call from Dig at 2:16 in the morning, she first thought it was a very cruel prank call; except, it wasn't. Oliver did collapse and had been brought to the ER. She stood motionless until she remembered Dig was still on the phone. Then, she went on autopilot - grabbed a pair of jeans, a sweater, and flats. It was only after she was face-to-face with a shaken Moira Queen and a crying Thea Queen did she realize that her presence caught them off-guard and had it not been for the severity of the situation would raise questions that no one really wanted to answer. She mumbled a quick, "I'm sorry, I came as soon as Mr. Diggle called. Have you heard from the Doctor?" Moira tearfully acknowledged her and shook her head no.

A couple of hours later, one of the doctors who introduced himself earlier as Dr. Andrew Gartin, came out. Everyone stood anxiously, waiting for him to talk. "Mrs. Queen, I would like to speak to you in private about your son's condition." Moira made a move to join the doctor but Thea spoke, "Just tell us what's going on. They deserve to know too" as she pointed to Dig and Felicity. Moira wasn't about to indulge her daughter but Thea tearfully insisted, "Please just tell us now". Moira acquiesced and nodded at Dr. Gartin. "Well, Mrs. Queen, Oliver appeared to have gone into idiopathic liver failure. We have put him in the ICU to monitor him closely. Though liver failure progresses quite rapidly, he was brought in early and we are monitoring his condition very closely. We started a round of medication and have kept him sedated." It seemed the world stopped for everyone. Moira and Thea clutched onto each other for strength as they cried. Dig held Felicity who just kept shaking her head in disbelief. Unbeknownst to each other, both Dig and Felicity were mentally checking the previous missions, injuries, and medication that may have caused this. "Dr. Gartin, what happens now what do we need to do to make my son better?" Moira demanded. "Mrs. Queen, we are still running some tests as to what exactly may have caused this, but I am putting him on the list for a liver transplant". It was John who spoke next "Transplant list, which could take a while. What happens to Oliver? He can't afford to wait too long" Dr. Gartin looked at her briefly and then spoke again "There is also the possibility of a living donor transplant which does not require any further wait time once a matching donor. It has its risks but if we can find a matching living donor, it could avoid any onset of life-threatening complications". A collective "I'll do it" rang across the hallway. All four people who spoke looked at each other in surprise and turned to the doctor. Dr. Gartin unable to hide his surprise, said "I'll order the tests" Moira interrupted "I think between Thea and myself we have it covered, Doctor". "Just to be on the safe side, Mrs. Queen, I think it would be beneficial if Felicity and I get tested as well". Moira regarded John and nodded back to the Doctor "Like I said, I'll order the tests and get back to you immediately". Moira turned to Felicity and John. "I know this is beyond your responsibilities, but thank you. Oliver is lucky to have you as friends". No words have been exchanged after that. Just nervous glances until the doctor told them they will undergo the test to identify if they are viable donors.

A couple of hours later, Dr. Gartin came back and spoke, "We've received the blood tests and only one person has a matching blood type as Oliver. Ms. Smoak, since you have a compatible blood type, we'd like to discuss the evaluation process further - that is if you are still willing to become a donor?" Moira and Thea wore identical expressions of disbelief and the doctor took this as his cue to explain, "It is normal for a parent or sibling to have a different blood type. Rest assured that the results are accurate and at least we have found a matching blood type right away". "Ms. Smoak, follow me please as you will need to sign some paperwork as well". Felicity walked towards the doctor after receiving a comforting hand squeeze from Dig. Before she knew it, Thea engulfed her in a big hug and repeatedly mumbling thank you in her ear. Felicity smiled and hugged her back. She looked at the younger girl and was about to speak until Moira grabbed her hand. "I meant what I said earlier, Oliver is incredibly lucky to have you as his friends. Thank you, Ms. Smoak". "No need to thank me. It's Oliver, there really is no choice to make".

She took one last look at the three before moving to where the doctor was waiting for her. The doctor started talking to her about the evaluation process and in her head there is only one thing she was telling herself "I would do this again in a heartbeat". She signed everything that needed to be signed. Dr. Gartin repeated the risks of the surgery and while that scared her, the idea of losing Oliver was more terrifying. It was unthinkable. She can no longer deny the feelings she had been harboring. Her realization drowned out the doctor's voice. She just kept nodding at him. In her heart of hearts, she knew she had strong feelings for Oliver; strong positive feelings that seemed to have intensified since they got back from Lian Yu. She just knew better than to do anything to jeopardize their mission and friendship. So, she kept quiet and acted as a supportive friend/spectator as his love life went on. She was brought back to reality when Dr. Gartin asked her if she had any questions. "I'd like to know how fast we could move forward with this. I can provide my medical history before the day ends. I mean the only issue that I have right now is a peanut allergy. Oh my God, would that be a problem? Would that make me ineligible?" She was still worried that despite her efforts, it might be all for nothing. Felicity didn't even want to think about that. "Ms. Smoak, that shouldn't be a problem but we will still conduct a comprehensive assessment to ensure you are a viable donor. We anticipate that the evaluation may take about two weeks as we need to be extensive with our review of your medical history and condition. I suggest that you stop drinking any alcohol immediately. Ms. Smoak, I know you've signed the paperwork but I would like to reiterate that the physical and financial impacts are not the only impacts. You should also be prepared with the mental and emotional changes that the surgery will entail." "I understand, Doctor, but rest assured that I will proceed with this and I can figure out a way later to manage how the transplant will affect my life. I appreciate the due diligence, of course". Felicity smiled. They talked more about the procedure and scheduled the appointments to get things going. Once they were done, Felicity returned to the group.  
There was an air of relief when she came back to the group about an hour later. She turned to Dig and he said, "He's awake". She smiled at that. For the first time in several hours, she smiled because Oliver will be okay, she just knew it and that was all that mattered.  
"Mrs. Queen, I just want to ask if I could visit Oliver." Felicity asked sheepishly. Moira gave her a small smile before answering "Of course, dear. It's best that you two talk. The nurses are inside just checking his vitals." Dig gave Felicity's hand a squeeze before she walked towards Oliver's room after the nurse stepped out.

"Knock, knock" Felicity smiled as she approached and sat on the chair that was next to Oliver's bed. "You gave us quite a scare there, mister! How are you feeling? I mean, considering you collapsed and needed urgent medical attention. Scratch that. What are you thinking? You have that pensive face on?" Despite being in some pain (he was sedated), Oliver couldn't help the small tug on his lips. "I'll be fine, thanks to you apparently. My Mother told me about the transplant. Felicity, I do-" Felicity shook her head. "No, let me just stop you right there. Oliver it wasn't even a decision I had to make. I'll do this in a heartbeat. I'm not going to let you suffer especially when there is a chance I could help. Please don't beat yourself up over this. You have to realize that there are people out there who lo-... care for you. Do you understand? I know you still have trouble believing that you are a hero, I've said this before and I'll say it again but the fact that you are willing to sacrifice an awful lot to help the people you care about and this city makes you one. Allow someone to help you. I want to do this, not just for you, but also for me. You're one of the few people I know who I consider as part of my inner circle and I'm not about to let that circle get smaller just because you think you don't deserve help." Felicity finished her rant with tears in her eyes. She couldn't believe this man doesn't deserve help or love. Oliver, for his part, was stunned. A small voice inside his head tells him she is right. Of course, she is. It's Felicity and seeing her get very emotional and just willing to put her life at risk made something inside him snap. He's not ready for that. So instead he covered Felicity's hand in his. "Shh, it's okay. I'm sorry. I'm grateful that you are doing this for me but I don't want to put yourself at risk just for me." Felicity was about to protest but he continued. "It's hard to accept everything you said, but I believe you. I also don't know how to thank you." Felicity sighed in relief. "You don't have to thank me. I'm sure if anyone else on the team would've been in your situation you'd do it in a heartbeat as well and throw money at the hospital just to speed things up." They both laughed. "For now, if you're up for it. Maybe I can keep you company, if that's okay. Or maybe you just want to be alone. I mean, you'll end up with having a small part of me growing in you." Oliver laughed and grimaced at the same time. "Sorry! Seriously, that sounded less creepy in my head." Felicity buries her face in their hands that are still linked. "Felicity, I would love it if you kept me company. And for the record, I think it is nice if a part of you is inside me". Felicity swatted his knuckle. "Stop teasing or I'll eat all your Jello". Felicity turned on the TV and spent the next hours watching Dr. Who.

The next two and a half weeks seemed like a blur to everyone. Felicity passed the medical and psychological evaluations. Dr. Gartin and his team declared Felicity as a viable donor. Dig, in order to avoid suspicion from the police, made sure that The Arrow appeared while Oliver was not medically fit. Dig went on patrol and Felicity continued to be on the comms, despite not wanting to leave Oliver's side. She still wants to make sure Dig has support and comes back safely. Moira and Thea would take turns being in the hospital. Felicity and Dig both gave Oliver updates while they eat and watch TV from Oliver's room.

Finally, the day of the surgery came. Everyone is hopeful. Oliver, as thankful as he was for Felicity feels nervous. Not for himself but for Felicity. Felicity tried to lighten the mood by saying "Only 1 living donor in 500 people in the world actually dies, Oliver. Calm down". That didn't help. Before getting prepped for surgery Felicity asked to talk to Oliver. "Hey, I know what you're thinking and stop it. I'm doing this. It'll be fine and you will be back on your feet. Stop worrying. I'm fine as long as you're fine, okay? See you soon, liver-mate" She gave his hand a squeeze and just before she left, Oliver called out to her. "Felicity, thank you for being you." She nods and leaves.

They were informed that the surgery may take up to 12 hours. During those 12 hours, Dig was carrying a feeling of unease. When Felicity was being evaluated weeks before, she had asked Dig if she could name him as her medical proxy, just in case. He agreed given that her mother is all the way in Nevada. "I know this is such a big bomb to drop on you but there's no one else that I would entrust these types of decisions with, so pretty please, Dig?" He agreed of course, but that didn't alleviate his concerns. It's been 12 hours and Dr. Gartin announced that they are moving Oliver to his private room but had asked Dig to speak with him in private. Moira, Thea, and Dig were relieved for Oliver. "What about Felicity?" He worriedly asked. Moira reminded the doctor that Felicity was to stay in a private room as well, preferably one closest to Oliver. "Yes, Mrs. Queen we have that on our records, however, I'd like to speak with Mr. Diggle regarding Ms. Smoak". The doctor's stoic face did not give anything away. "Mr. Diggle, if you would follow me, please?" As Diggle followed the doctor, Thea looked up to him and asked to give them an update on Felicity. He nodded and left.

"What happened? Is everything okay?" Dig wasn't beating around the bush. "We have put Ms. Smoak in the ICU to closely monitor her condition. Mr. Diggle, during the transplant, Ms. Smoak went into cardiac arrest after she had a pulmonary embolism" Dig paled and had to hold onto his chair, feeling the wind knocked right out of him. "How did this happen, is she okay?" He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "We'll continue to provide treatments to avoid any additional blood clots. Since it was detected early, we were able to treat it right away, but for now we need to closely monitor her as she may go into organ failure. We've had to put her in a medically-induced coma, but please know we are doing everything we can so she can recover from this." "When can I see her?" He asked the medical details that the doctor talked about sounded so far away. He couldn't deal with it right now. He just needs to see and know that Felicity is still alive. Diggle was simmering with different emotions, anger at the situation, relief that Oliver is okay despite all of this, and worry and devastation at Felicity's current condition. He thought of Oliver and how he will likely blame himself. His limbs felt heavy and everything seemed dark.


	2. Maybe Help Me to Understand

Here's a chapter focusing on Oliver's POV. Let me know what you think!

Pain and losing consciousness were two things that weren't unfamiliar to Oliver. Oliver's familiarity with injuries made him aware of these sensations. The last thing he remembered was being in the mansion. When he regained consciousness, he felt a dull pain on his side and was informed by his Mother that he's sedated and currently being treated for some sort of liver failure. The cause is yet to be known but he's guessed it may have been the copious amounts of alcohol (or even drugs) back in his partying days or the catalogue of injuries he's amassed over the past few years. Liver failure and by the worried look on his Mother's face, it's not good. That's what's going to kill the Arrow. Not a bullet, not an explosion, or any other form of maiming. "Of course, this is the final twist", he thinks to himself. Thea chooses this time to pipe up. "Well, Ollie hopefully you'll get better after the transplant". She looks optimistic – oddly optimistic. He always pegged his sister as more of a realist after everything that has happened to their family. "Doesn't that take time though?" He asked. "Normally, it does, but if you have a living donor that speeds up the process. Do you want to know who one of the volunteers ?" She asks. Oliver is dreading the answer - he doesn't want to know the person who would willingly do this for him, but at the same time he does. Maybe get the person to rethink this decision. "It's your assistant, Felicity". Oliver didn't know how to react. He's feeling a lot of things other than pain - gratitude, for one, possibly irrational or misplaced anger at Felicity for doing this. Of course she would do this! Most importantly, fear. This is a risk. He may not know a whole lot about medicine but he knows for sure this is a risky operation. Felicity would later smugly point out that all operations have risks. Thea and Moira must have sensed the storm raging through him as he hasn't spoken anything. The only words that came out were why and how. His mother informed him that in addition to her and Thea, Felicity and Digg volunteered (of course) and only Felicity was a compatible donor. "You're lucky to have friends like them, Oliver". Moira added with a small smile on her face.

Moira and Thea left his room to go talk to Diggle. Oliver was left alone with his thoughts until Digg visited him. He had a chat with Diggle who mentioned Felicity was still talking to Dr. Gartin. "Who would've thought that The Arrow was going to be bested by liver failure of all things. What the hell were you up to when you were in your playboy phase?" Digg always knew how to diffuse tension. He knows Oliver is worried and thinking of ways to stop Felicity from going forward with her decision. "She said there was no choice to make". Oliver felt a tightening in his chest when the words he said to her just a few weeks ago were thrown back at him. Diggle knows he is on a roll, so he better get everything out and help Oliver see things differently. "She knows what she's doing, man. Besides, you and I both know that once our girl sets her mind on something, there's no stopping her. You two have a lot more in common than you think." "What do you mean by that?" Oliver asked. "I meant, that both of you would do and give anything to help your loved ones. Felicity does not hood up every night but she's resilient and you need to give her credit for her strength too. Am I worried about this? Damn right I am. But at the end of the day, this is Felicity's call and I'll support her and make sure she's taken everything into account." Oliver sighed. "I know that, Dig." "If this is bothering you, Oliver, just talk to her. I doubt anything you say will convince Felicity to back out but let her know what's on your mind. Once she's done talking to Dr. Gartin, how about I let her know you're awake?" Dig suggested. Oliver nodded and in an attempt to bring some levity to the conversation joked, "Why do you have to be so rational, Dig?" "I have to be. My cover should have been life coach, that's so much better than black driver." They both laughed. After chatting with Oliver, Dig decided to leave when a nurse came in to check Oliver's vitals and see if Felicity is back.

After a few minutes, the nurse checking his vitals left and he saw the door open. "Knock, knock" Felicity smiled as she approached and sat on the chair that was next to his bed. Despite looking worried and a bit haggard from what he deduced was from her being called in the early hours of the morning and staying since he's been admitted, he couldn't help but still be an awe. She looked beautiful. He again felt guilty for making his family and friends worry. "You gave us quite a scare there, mister! How are you feeling? I mean, considering you collapsed and needed urgent medical attention. Scratch that. What are you thinking? You have that pensive face on?" Felicity babbled. Oliver knows Felicity is nervous. "I'll be fine, thanks to you apparently. My Mother told me about the transplant. Felicity, I do-" She didn't even let him finish. Oliver listened to Felicity's rant and was surprised. His chest felt heavy as he saw her tears in her eyes and can't believe how lucky he was to have this selfless, stubborn, beautiful genius in his life. He's grateful that she and Dig are in his corner. Seeing her belief in him and persistence to help him while taking quite a risk, touched him – she really was remarkable. He reached out to her and held her hand in his. He knows there's no changing her mind, so he had to accept this, be grateful, and hope everything turns out well for both of them. Despite the gravity of the situation, she still managed to make him laugh with her line about having a small part of her in him. "We'll be alright", he thought. "Felicity, I would love it if you kept me company. And for the record, I think it is nice if a part of you is inside me". He joked. Felicity hit his knuckle playfully and threatened to eat his Jello. They spent the next few hours watching Dr. Who. They seemed normal and he craved something similar. Diggle came by to bring them food and watched Dr. Who with them while Thea and Moira came by as well. At one point, he muttered "Why can't they just smash those Weeping Angels?". Felicity went on a lengthy explanation about their toughness and resistance. He had to smirk when Diggle shushed them and told them "Children, keep quiet. Oliver, you can't kill a stone". The smile Felicity gave him when she saw how invested Digg was in her favourite show could light the entire City during a blackout.

The next two and a half weeks passed by quickly. Felicity was declared a viable donor and went on to prepare for the transplant. During those weeks, he tried to discreetly get Felicity to change her mind, to no avail. While he was in hospital, Dig went on patrol and Felicity continued to be on the comms. Thankfully, there were no massive threats to the city. Dig broke up some drug and robbery rings. Oliver couldn't be more proud and thankful for his partners.

Finally, the day of the surgery came. Before the prep, Felicity went to see him and she tried to assuage his fears with a joke "Only 1 living donor in 500 people in the world actually dies, Oliver. Calm down". That didn't help at all! He can see Felicity is putting on a brave face for him. One more thing he loves about her. Loves? Where'd that come from? During his inner dialog, he can see Felicity gesturing wildly. There are so many thoughts and so many feelings. He's overwhelmed and thinks he's doing a bang up job of keeping a lid on it until Felicity tells him, "Hey, I know what you're thinking and stop it. I'm doing this. It'll be fine and you will be back on your feet. Stop worrying. I'm fine as long as you're fine, okay? See you soon, liver-mate" She gave his hand a squeeze and he doesn't want to let go. There are so many things he wanted to tell her and he convinces himself that they have a lot of time to talk, so he opts to just thank her before she left. His Mother, Thea, and Digg all see him before the surgery. Wishing him luck and telling him that they'll see him soon. Before going under anesthesia, he thinks that maybe things will be ok.

He was once told when he was younger that you could dream during surgery. Oliver has gone through enough states of unconsciousness to somewhat believe this. He drifts off but not before silently wishing that he and Felicity come out of this safely. Maybe he'll be allowed to explore feelings and get a happy story.

He found himself in the backyard of the mansion. He saw his Father, Mother, Thea, as Raisa passed by him with a smile on her face, urging him to join his family. He felt a lump in his throat. Oliver knows his parents didn't have the healthiest of marriages but wished he cherished these moments. They tried, for him and Thea. He sat down to join them, in time to hear both his parents chuckle at something Thea was saying. The times his family spent together were not rare, but those they spent just hanging out being a regular family were. He stared at his Father and despite knowing what he knew now, he sees a man who did love his family and in his last moments saved his son and urged him to be a better man than he was. "Oliver, aren't you meeting up with Tommy?" He turned to his Mother, at the mention of his best friend's name. "Tommy?" He choked. "Yes, didn't you mention going over some things about Verdant with him?" Oliver nodded, unable to speak. "Are you alright, son?" His Father asked. "Yeah, I just remembered something. I better get going then." "See you at dinner, Ollie!" Thea yelled as he walked away. He found Dig by the front door. "Are we heading out to meet with Tommy? He has some interesting info after his recent trip to Central City – something about a particle accelerator. Whatever it is, it looks like Felicity was on it like white on rice. Oliver, are you okay, man?" "Yes, Dig, I'm good. Let's go see Tommy". The drive to Verdant was short and he and Dig chatted about The Triad. As he walked into Verdant, he couldn't have wished for a better scene. He saw two of his favourite people laughing - Tommy behind the bar while Felicity sat on one of the stools. Looking up to him, Tommy yelled "Look who finally showed, and he's only ten minutes late. Smoaky, he's getting better! I was giving our girl here some tidbits about that particle accelerator in Central City over a 1982 Chateau Lafite Rothschild. She's got good taste." Tommy says as he pours two glasses for both him and Dig. "That she does, and she is also sitting right here. A few minutes passed and they went down to the basement (with two more bottles of wine) and just seamlessly talked about Team Arrow. Oliver observed his partners talk about the next mission, with Tommy just piping up every now and then. From the looks of things, Tommy might not be an official member of Team Arrow, but he does keep Felicity company when he's not busy with the club. It's all he ever wanted - the people he trusts together, no pretending, and no lies. He sees his best friend and Felicity bantering like they've known each other for so long. Felicity went back to her computers while Dig went to go clean his guns. He saw Tommy approach him. "Hey heart eyes, are you finally manning up and asking my favourite blonde out?" He choked on his wine. "What?" Trust Tommy (hallucination or not) to never neglect his wingman duties. "You know I would, since I adore Felicity but I already have a good thing going on with Laurel, so your move, Bud. Are you alright?" He fights the stinging sensation in his eyes as he thought, "Yeah, just like old times" "I will, Tommy," "Don't mess this up. You might be my best friend and we have that bros over hos thing going on, but that's off since Felicity is most certainly not a ho, and she's like the sister I never had. You might be an Arrow wielding vigilante, Ollie but I think even you are not immune to a bottle to the head or a swift kick in the balls." Oliver laughs out loud that even Felicity and Dig stare at him for a second. "I'm serious, Ollie. I just want you to be happy, for both of you to be happy. You're good for each other. And you can thank me later by naming your first child Thomas." Tommy smirked. "What if it's a girl?" He replied. "Call her Thomasina for all I care, I'm not the one she'll resent. I'll be too busy being the cool Uncle or maybe Godfather Tommy". Tommy answered like it's the most obvious thing in the world. He missed this. One thing that Oliver regretted was not letting Tommy in earlier about his identity. In the end, he knew he accepted it but wished they had more moments like this. Before he could bark out a witty reply, Tommy yells out "Hey Smoaky, I asked Ollie to grab more of our vintage wines from one of the wineries up north. You up for a quick road trip? Dig and I will meet up with you later. I need his assistance on… something." "Tommy, we have work to do. And why can't you just pick it up later yourself?" Felicity replies with a look on her face that is questioning what his best friend is up to. "Tommy, what" "Sssh, Ollie be quiet, I got this." Tommy interrupts him with a whisper and walks over to Felicity explaining that Team Arrow needed a break even if it's just one night and that there is more wine waiting for them. Felicity clearly suspicious eventually acquiesces. Tommy tosses him his keys. "Here, take the Porsche. Dig and I will drive later, isn't that right Dig?" Diggle just rolls his eyes but smirks. Oliver opens the door for Felicity. As they drove off to the winery, Felicity turns to him and says, "Tommy's up to something isn't he? If I didn't know any better, he was trying to give us some time alone". He smiles and takes her hand. "Yes he was, and I'm glad he did". She squeezes his hand. "Can I say something strange?" He pauses. "I'm happy." He looks back at her and he sees everything he ever wanted and everything he'll ever need. "Good, that's all we ever want for you, that's all I ever want for you." He takes the long route, driving through the sunset, not wanting this peace to end. When they reach the winery, Tommy's already there helping Dig load the cases to their car. Felicity turns to him, takes his hand in hers and says "You know, while this isn't all real, you can still be happy. Find your happy story, Oliver." He wanted to interrupt her but he can't. There was an overwhelming feeling enveloping him. He doesn't bother wiping the stray tear. Oliver knows it isn't real. He just holds on to her hand and sees tears on her face. He wipes them with his thumbs. "You deserve happiness, Oliver. Don't let anyone make you feel otherwise. No matter what happens, I'll be there for you and with you." They get out of the car. Dig is already in the other car, while Felicity stands next to Tommy. Tommy hugs him tightly and gives him a sad smile. "It's time to go back, Ollie." "Okay" Oliver hugs him right back. While he's hugging Tommy, he sees Felicity smile sadly and nodded at Dig's direction. "Ready to come back?" She whispered. He gets in the car and sees Felicity still standing next to Tommy. Tommy says, "Don't worry. I'll keep her company for a while, Ollie." He was going to ask what Tommy meant but there was a bright flash of light and loud steady beeping.

Oliver woke up with a gasp and moisture in his eyes. The first thing he sees is his Mother and Thea - relief evident in both their faces. Thea rushes out to call the doctor. "You're going to be alright, Oliver." His mother strokes his head in a soothing gesture and while there was relief he senses something else in her eyes. He was about to ask what happened but Dr. Gartin came through the door with Thea and Dig in tow. Oliver feels light and heavy at the same time.


	3. You're Secret's Safe in My Hands

Diggle was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that Felicity is now fighting for her life. He knew the risks of the operation, hell, even Felicity did, but he still refuses to believe that she would be a statistic of a reported death. No, he knows she will get through this. Dr. Gartin has allowed him a few minutes to visit Felicity. He gasps as soon as he sees her. The vibrant, strong, and brilliant woman who is a sister to him is lying still - too still and pale with a breathing tube and hooked up on several wires and machines. This isn't Felicity and it breaks his heart that it came down to this. She had only wanted to help Oliver and now she's fighting for her own life.

With heavy limbs and an even heavier heart, he sits at the chair near her bed. He knows he's only allowed a few minutes to see her for now and while he will visit her again later, he needs proof that she is holding on and let her know they'll be there when she wakes up. He carefully holds her hand and sighs, "If I didn't know any better, I think you and Oliver have a bet going on as to who could shave the most years off my life. You have a spectacular lead over him. I'd ask for you to end this game now that you've won but I know that's just wishful thinking. When you agreed to do this, I've always had a voice in my head that terrified me with the risks and unknowns. Nothing could have prepared me for this, Felicity. Seeing the girl who is like a sister to me lying still, is just not right. They told me you might be able to hear me." Dig doesn't even realize his voice is trembling. "I would kill to hear your loud voice right now, telling me not to worry. So, if you can hear me, come back to us, okay? The sooner you wake up, the sooner our family is complete and the sooner we can get hang out and get back to business. Hell, you owe me a Doctor Who marathon. Now I'm babbling. No one can babble like you, Girl. I'm going to see Oliver and we both know this will shatter him. That's another incentive for you to get better and wake up. We need you to be well because, we just need you. Listen, I have to go but I will come back later. I hope the next time you're awake and fighting off the medical staff fussing over you." Dig squeezes her hand one last time before he gets up and says "We won't give up on you, Felicity so keep on fighting. We'll be here waiting for you." He kisses her forehead, careful of the mask and wires attached to her. He trudges out of her room as several nurses check on Felicity and ask him to come by later. Maybe it's the exhaustion from the past few weeks but he knows it's the anxiety over both his teammates' wellbeing that is weighing him down. He sees Dr. Gartin and Thea on his way to Oliver's room. No amount of cleansing breaths will relax him. "This is going to be painful", he thinks.

"Hello, Oliver, how are you feeling?" Dr. Gartin asked. "Sore and loopy", Oliver responds as he makes eye contact with Dig. "That's expected. Your vitals are stable and we'll continue to monitor that to ensure there are no complications. We'll discuss the medications and tests as well as the visits which we'll schedule in the next few days. If all goes well and there are no issues, you might be out in the next couple of weeks. I'll leave you to rest for now but I will come back later. Do you have any questions for now?" He directs the question to both Oliver and Moira. Moira shakes her head no and says "Not at the moment, Dr. Gartin but later on when we discuss Oliver's recovery, I'm sure we'll have questions. Thank you once again." "No need to thank me, Mrs. Queen." The Doctor responds. "I have a question." Oliver quietly says. "How's Felicity?" He knew the moment Dr. Gartin and Dig shared a look that something is up. The combination of soreness, sedation, and worry are starting to suffocate him. The Doctor notices the increase in heart rate and quickly supplies "Ms. Smoak is currently in the ICU so we could closely monitor her." "Why is she in the ICU? What's wrong? What are you not telling me?" Oliver is starting to get agitated. Moira and Thea try to calm him down. The Doctor calls for a nurse and within a few seconds a nurse comes in and injects the IV with a mild sedative which acts quickly. Oliver calms down and then eventually falls back to sleep. "I apologize for having to do that Mrs. Queen. I felt it is best to sedate Oliver for now. Once he is ready and if Mr. Diggle agrees, I will explain her condition later. For now, I'd like for Oliver to rest and calm down. He should be okay, I'm confident that he'll recover quickly". Moira, Thea, and Dig all thought "Until she's okay, he won't be okay", but no one vocalizes this.

The Doctor leaves after giving them more details on Oliver's recovery. As soon as he left, Moira turns to Dig and asks, "Mr. Diggle, could you please let us know what happened with Felicity?" Dig hesitates for a brief second but thought they need to know as he's going to need help to deal with Oliver once he wakes up. He just didn't want to say it out loud. Saying out loud will make it real. "Mrs. Queen, Felicity went into cardiac arrest after she had a pulmonary embolism. She's being monitored closely to make sure she doesn't get any more clots or her organs don't fail." The horrified look on both Moira and Thea's faces has a tinge of what looked like guilt. If they feel bad for her, how will Oliver even deal with this? The silence was deafening. It was Thea who broke it, "Is she, will she be okay? Can I see her?" Diggle explains that she was put in a medically-induced coma but she can visit. They talked more and as Diggle was about to excuse himself to go back to Felicity, Moira stood. "Mr. Diggle, would you mind staying with Oliver for a while. I think Thea and I will go and check on Ms. Smoak". "Okay, if Dr. Gartin needs anything he has my number anyway.

Thea and Moira make their way to Felicity's room. "Mom?" Thea asks, "How do you think Ollie would handle this?" "I don't know, Dear. But if Oliver's reaction from earlier is any indication, it won't be good. So let's hope that she pulls through. Why don't you go in first, Thea?" Moira suggested. Thea nodded and moved to open the door to Felicity's room. She may not have known Felicity very well, but she knows Felicity looking pale and attached to all those machines looks wrong. The woman she knew was vibrant in more ways than one. She plopped down on the table, "Hey, I know we aren't that close and I hope we change that as soon as you get out of this place. I know you're strong, Felicity. I also know you aren't just my brother's EA. Hell, I think you're more than friends. Don't worry, Girl. Once you've recovered, I'll make sure my brother gets his head out of his ass and make a move on you. Just focus on getting better, please? I'll visit you again sometime, maybe bring some nail polish. Maybe fuchsia? I better get going, Mom wants to visit. Get better, okay. I know it sounds selfish but if you don't make it, I don't think Oliver will. I also genuinely want to get to know you more and be friends." She reaches out to Felicity's hand and gives it a quick squeeze. "We'll be here when you wake up." With that, she left the room feeling determined and hopeful. She wasn't going to make empty promises. Felicity may not have heard her but she will befriend the woman who stole her brother's heart. She makes eye contact with her mother. Thea watches as her mother enter the room trepidation evident on the older woman's features. Moira had no idea what to say to Felicity. She wanted to make sure the girl was alright but quickly realized she didn't know what to tell her. She sat on the chair that Thea occupied not so long ago. A couple of minutes passed by and all only the beeping and humming machines could be heard. During this time, she was spent the minutes by just looking at Felicity. It bothers her that she was so still and pale. No one deserved to be in the condition that she was in. She exhaled loudly. "I can't thank you enough for what you've done for Oliver. And I'm not just talking about the transplant. Your companionship or whatever you kids call it these days, powers him. He may not be vocal but I'm sure my son is appreciative of you and Mr. Diggle in his life. He trusts you with all aspects of his life, including his nightly activities. I know he is the Arrow and deduced that you and Mr. Diggle might have a hand in his operations. Though I can never completely agree or be worry-free with what Oliver is doing, I'm somewhat comforted that you have my son's back. I just hope one day he will tell me, when he is ready or at least see the day when he won't need to be the Arrow. I can see the difference you've made in his life - with how he operates as a leader in QC and as the Arrow, and most importantly with who he is. I hope you get better, Dear. You have a full life ahead of you that is very promising. I know you only became an EA because of Oliver's appointment, but that doesn't change the fact that you are a genius. I read enough about you to understand that having you by Oliver's side must be due to something big to put your life on hold and on the line. Please be better, your family and friends, the City, and most importantly, Oliver needs you. You might not be putting on the suit, but you are a hero in your own right. You and Oliver have a long journey ahead of you. I would be happy to know that a strong, loving, and kind is by his side to keep him grounded. I haven't known you for a while but I can see your impact on my son's life. Long may that continue. I would like to talk to you more, under different and better circumstances. I'll see you again, Ms. Smoak. Please don't give up." And with that, she stood up, and walked towards the door. Taking one last glance before leaving just to make sure Felicity is alright.


	4. What a Lovely Day to Be Lonely

One would think that steady continuous sounds, like the beeping of a heart monitor, would be comforting. In John Diggle's case, it doesn't. While a reminder of his teammate's life, it's also a reminder of the can of worms about to be opened as soon as Oliver wakes up. Diggle decided to go visit Oliver the day after he woke up since he was still out from the sedative. He visited Felicity first and while Thea volunteered to keep her company, he gathered up the strength to visit Oliver. Moira informed him that she will be back in a few hours and he could talk to Oliver. She told him he regained consciousness for a bit and drifted off to sleep again. He wishes he had more time to think through a conversation which he was dreading to have. Sure enough, the man starts to stir. "You couldn't give me a few more hours?" Diggle complains to no one in particular. "Digg?" Oliver calls, still a bit groggy from the sedative. "Hey man, did you want me to call the doctor?" Diggle offers. "No" Oliver shakes his head and seems he is starting to shake off the haze surrounding his mind. "I want to know how Felicity is doing, what happened to her, and why she is in the ICU." Diggle exhales "She had a pulmonary embolism during the operation. She's in a medically-induced coma and is being closely monitored to avoid organ failure." Oliver just stared ahead, eyes glossy. Diggle feels for the younger man and he knows what Oliver is thinking. "Stop it. It's not your fault, even Felicity knows that. Blaming yourself isn't going to do anyone any good. The only thing you can do is be there for her as she recovers. I'm not telling you not to be sad, but don't let this irrational self-hatred outweigh your ability to be there for our girl. I'll go get Dr. Gartin and your Mother. I'll stay with Felicity and be back here later. Get better, man." With a pat on Oliver's shoulder, he leaves.

Oliver sobers up with Diggle's words, which he knows are right. But that doesn't stop him from feeling bad. Dr. Gartin and his Mother enter the room and talk about how he's feeling and discuss next steps. Oliver tunes the conversation out, nodding when needed. He knows his Mother is aware he's barely listening. His thoughts keep drifting to his beautiful blonde partner. Dr. Gartin excuses himself and Oliver nods a thank you as the Doctor left. He turns to his Mother, who gives him a knowing look before hugging him. For the first time, since he's back in the island, he feels like a young child seeking comfort from his Mother. They don't speak. He's aware of the silent, hot tears soaking his Mother's sleeves. After a few minutes and he has calmed down, his Mother looks him in the eye and says "Oliver, my dear boy. You and Felicity will come out of this stronger. You might deny it but you two have a special bond, even more so now." Under normal circumstances, he would've been surprised at her casual use of Felicity's name like they're familiar. But right now he doesn't feel weird about it. If anything, it felt normal. All he could do is nod. His Mother's words soothing him. "Like I told Felicity, I'm glad you have her and Mr. Diggle by your side, fighting the good fight with you." "Mom?" "This is not a conversation we need to have right now, Oliver. But know, that while I will always worry, I'm proud of you and I'm glad you have surrounded yourself with strong and smart people you can trust." Oliver was stunned that his Mother knows his secret. He's grateful for not pushing and at the same time, relieved as it is not another secret he has to hide from his family. He wants to ask if Thea knows, but like his Mother said, that is a conversation at a different time. He could only respond with "Thank you, Mom". They end up talking about the latest in QC and he also gave some anecdotes about Felicity after his Mother mentions the Applied Sciences division and her thoughts about getting Felicity's input on some projects. "Mother knows best", he thinks. He's excited to tell Felicity about a new opportunity for her. "More reason for you to get better quickly, Felicity" He mumbles.

A few days later, Oliver was given the green light to move around. He was informed by Dr. Gartin that he is recovering nicely and can be discharged over the next three days. It doesn't escape him that he gets to leave the hospital soon while Felicity is still recovering. His Mother, oddly enough, suggested that he visit Felicity. He'll of course be wheeled in to her room but it might help his anxiety to see her. Diggle brings him to Felicity's room and says he will wait outside. As he wheels his way to the room, he is greeted by the sounds of machines. Oliver could almost pretend that he is coming back from patrol and Felicity is working in the foundry. Almost. But he couldn't, because the distinctive sounds of her typing, her mumbling when she is trying to concentrate, her chair as she swivels when she sees him come back, or her feet tapping were missing. He is confronted with the reality that Felicity is in a coma and fighting for her life. Oliver wants to run but decides against it. Felicity needs him now as much as he needs her to get better. No matter how many times the others tell him this was Felicity's choice, it doesn't change the fact that her life is in the balance because she wanted to help HIM. He couldn't leave her. So he stays. He stays quiet just observing her. He promised himself and Digg when she first joined that he will protect Felicity. It never occurred to him that she will have to be put in a position where he or anyone else can save her. His chest feels heavy with emotion as he takes in her pale face and touches her cold manicured hand. He makes a mental note to thank Thea for making sure Felicity retains some of her vibrancy. He never wants to see Felicity like this again. Oliver makes a silent promise to be there for her and let her in. "The entire time that I was gone, I could never completely trust someone. And when that goes on for so long, you stop seeing people for people. You see… threats. Or targets. And when I decided to come home, I just didn't know how to turn that part of me off. Then I walked into your office. You were the first person I could see as a… person. There was just something about you. Seeing you turn around with a red pen on your mouth, babbling about my Dad, and then later not taking any of my bullshit reminded me that despite my crusade, I can still feel. To be fair, I think it's impossible for anyone to resist you. You had that effect on people, Felicity. You might think you're just some IT girl, but you're more than that. You're much more than that. I know I haven't been very open about what happened in the island or just my feelings in general, but I want you to know that you're special to me. Always have been and probably always will be, if you would let me. I just need you to wake up, then I promise you, we'll be better partners." He finally takes her hand in his, careful of the wires. "You've always believed in me and the better person I could become. You and Digg are my rock. I can't do this without you, Felicity. I always thought that I will do this alone but now, I can't imagine doing this without you. Please don't give up yet" He doesn't even realize the tears streaming down his face and he doesn't even bother wiping them away. Before he left, he places a kiss on her forehead and wheels himself out of her room. He'll be back and he'll be by her side.

Oliver is finally discharged from the hospital three days later. He met with Dr. Gartin to discuss his medications and future appointments. Each day he visits Felicity and argues that someone has to stay with her when he asks Digg to get some rest, freshen up, or go on patrol, something that apparently he and Felicity discussed already. He talks to her about his day, indulges her with some stories about his time on the island. He knows it's unfair that he's being this open to her while she is still in a coma but he figures it is a good way for him to prepare to be more open to both her and Diggle. Every day, he brings a Big Belly Burger and coffee because she'll appreciate it when she wakes up. Diggle ends up eating the food until he tells Oliver to stop bringing burgers. He doesn't. He stocked the fridge in Felicity's room with mint chip. He waits patiently every day. Observes Thea when she gives Felicity a manicure and even gets into a debate when Thea scoffs at him when he mentioned Felicity might like a Pine Green polish. He receives updates from his Mother when she comes to check on them every now and then. Before he ushers Digg out of the room whenever he visits, they sit down and talk about their nightly activities, making sure they talk around Felicity. When Diggle comes back from patrol, he is there watching Doctor Who. Digg even caught him talking to Felicity once and was hoping she woke up, only to find that she is still in a coma and Oliver is just engaging in a one-sided conversation. "For now", he adds.

It's been six days since he's been discharged and Felicity's condition has not changed. The Doctors were worried that she might get an infection and is closely examining her every day. Six long and torturous days since he's allowed to walk out of the hospital and live his life normally, if not more carefully, while Felicity remains in a comatose state. As he rounds the corner to Felicity's room, with a pint of mint chip in hand and a coffee and pastry in another, he sees Diggle outside of Felicity's room with a shocked look on his face. If Oliver was asked when he dropped the coffee and food, he won't be able to answer. If he was asked when he started running towards Digg and snapping the older man out of his trance, he wouldn't be able to respond. But if you ask Oliver about the precise moment when his stomach dropped and heart broke at the same time, he'll tell you it was when Digg told him that Felicity flat lined.


	5. Nowhere Else to Go and You Never Know

Oliver wished that Diggle was just misinformed and misspoke when he said Felicity flat lined. Because there is no way that this is the end. It can't be. He dared to spare a look at the now crowded room. Doctors and nurses are in a frenzy surrounding Felicity. "No" was all he could say. Try as he might, he couldn't look away. He had asked her not to give up and he refuses to believe that this is it for them. "What happened? How long has it been since..." Oliver couldn't bring himself to finish his sentence. Diggle, who was also staring at the room, turned his attention to the younger man. "It was just like our usual morning. I was telling her about what we had planned for the day and all of a sudden she went into a seizure and when the doctors arrived, she had already flat lined. You came in about 10 minutes after it happened."

Neither one of them says it out loud but both men know, the longer it takes for the doctors to revive Felicity, the lower the chances that they could get her back. The inevitable tears start to fall. To his right, Oliver sees his Diggle not bothering to hide his demotions as he is on the verge of losing a sister who wormed her way into both their hearts. Oliver's heart breaks as he watches the flurry of activity in the room. It was then that he realized that his feelings for the bubbly blonde did indeed run deeper than friendship or anything platonic. He more than just cared for Felicity. She was his light and the one who allowed him to get in touch with pieces of his personality and character that he thought were long gone, and helped him become a better version. Now she's slipping away and he won't even get to tell her how he feels. He won't get to experience a first date or a first kiss, all because he chose to not be with anyone he cared about and to not acknowledge his growing fondness for Felicity.

All of a sudden the movement in the room slows down. He hears Dig's sharp intake of breath. They both refuse to accept that in the next minute the Doctor will tell them that he is sorry and they've done everything they could. No. Dr. Gartin stepped out of the room with an unreadable expression on his face and exhales. "Your girl is a fighter." He says with a smile. Both men breathed out and released the tension they were holding for the past few minutes. And just like that relief and unabated joy rushes through Oliver's veins. He hears a chuckle from Diggle. The doctor continued, "She's still unconscious but we were able to stabilize her. Her vitals have improved over the last few days. We're confident that she'll wake up within 24 hours." Oliver couldn't help but tear up in relief, happiness, and tiredness. The whirlwind of emotions and his epiphany drained him. Those were one of the longest minutes of his life. He just wants to take Felicity home and forget this nightmare ever happened.

After being briefed by Doctor Gartin, both men step inside the room and taking the sight of their beloved partner in. Oliver automatically held her hand and kissed her forehead and whispered "Don't ever leave me, okay" before sitting on the chair beside her bed. "I don't want to lose her Dig, nor do I want to die alone." Oliver said without looking away from Felicity's face. "So don't" Diggle said as he stood up and went to the other side of Felicity's bed to give her a kiss on the forehead. "I'll see you tomorrow and you're stuck with us. Don't scare us again." he mumbled against Felicity's hair. He pats Oliver's shoulder on his way out and tells Oliver to call him once she is awake.

Oliver couldn't help but stare at Felicity, worried that she might slip away from him again. The exhaustion from the day started to take its toll on him and he kissed her hand and placed it against his cheek as he rested his eyes.

A mumbled "Oliver" is what woke him up. Ever alert – he knows it could only be one person. The voice he missed so much – albeit raspy this time, Oliver thought it was the best thing to wake up to – until he stared back at a pair of beautiful blue eyes that he missed so much. When he realized she was awake and her first word now that she is back was his name, he grinned. "I missed you" was his response. He realizes that his hands were still holding her hand. He decided to move and cup her face. He sees Felicity smile and lean into his palm. In that moment, he decided he will take that step and let Felicity know how much he means to him. "I take it the surgery went well?" Felicity asked him. He shook his head, of course she would ask about him. "Yes, it did for me - but not for you. The surgery caused some complications. I almost you, Felicity." She crinkles her eyebrows in confusion and was about to ask but not before he interrupted. "Are you okay, are you in pain? Do you need anything?" he asked. She shakes her head no, still leaning into his palm. "Let me get the Doctor real quick, okay? I just want to make sure they check you out and then we'll talk." he said as he pressed the call button for the nurses. After 17 minutes (who's counting), Dr. Gartin finally left Oliver and Felicity alone. She'll still be kept in the hospital for at least 3 more days and with frequent monitoring. Oliver was glad to be assured that she really is okay.

He takes her hand in his and she squeezes his hand but takes it back. Oliver felt hurt and confused until he saw that Felicity made a move to the side of her bed and patted the space she made for him. Relieved and cautious, Oliver made a move to half-sit/half-lie down. He intertwines their hands and he takes her in. If anyone walked into the room, he/she would think they are two lovers reunited. In a way, maybe they are, Oliver thought. "Do you remember when I told you that because of what we do I didn't think that I could be with someone that I could really care about?" he asked. Felicity stared at him and nodded her head, clearly remembering the exchange they had. "So maybe I was wrong. The past few days were tough, considering I spent 5 years away before coming back as the Vigilante that says a lot. That's because I had the slightest taste of what my life would've been like if you weren't in it. I don't want to think about that kind of life. I didn't even get to thank you for everything that you've done for me, as The Arrow or Oliver Queen or even recently, for the transplant." he sighed. "You don't have to, Oliver." Felicity meekly interrupted. Oliver squeezed her hand and said "No, I have to and please let me just say this – you've always been there for me, to help me, and challenge me to become a better person. I know I don't have the best way to deal with things, but I know I can get through it if you're with me. So if you'll have me, I would like us to figure things out. Together. As a couple. You and I. As more than friends." he babbled. He heard Felicity chuckle at the last bit and say "Usually, I'm the one talking in sentence fragments. And yes, I would like that too." The way they smiled at each other and lit up made it seem like Christmas. They talked a bit more, mostly Oliver updating Felicity on what she missed. Oliver sent Diggle a text letting him know that Felicity woke up and was asking about him. When he saw her eyes started drooping, he said "Go get some rest, I'll be here". "I know, and you should rest too." she said snuggling against his chest and squeezing his hand. "I will now that you're back and next to me" he whispered.

That's how Diggle found them – cuddled up against each other with Felicity's left hand covered by Oliver's. He smiled, glad that his friends found themselves in each other.

*End*

That's it for me! Apologies for the delay in updating this. I hope you liked it. Thanks so much for taking the time to read, comment, and follow/fave this fic. I'm challenging myself to update my stories more frequently. Cheers!


	6. Holding on for Love

Ok, I lied about the last chapter being the end. I wasn't planning on this but decided as a Thank You to the kind souls who liked and commented on this fic that I give you guys an epilogue of sorts. There's a scene in this that I have always wanted to write so I decided instead of creating a one-shot, I'll just incorporate that here. I also wanted to really wrap this up so I could focus on my other fics. I still don't own anything and all mistakes are mine (to revisit and correct). Again, thank you and hope you like the actual end to this story. Let me know what you think.

2 years later

It was a slow Friday night for Oliver, Diggle, and Felicity at the lair. Oliver and Diggle had finished their patrol early with no criminal activities to stop. "Hey, I'm thinking of ordering food, do you want to try that new Ethiopian place by Main Street?" Felicity asked. "Actually, Felicity, I was thinking of heading out early, it's been a while since Lyla and I have dinner and just stay in. But I definitely want to try that place, maybe make it a double date next time?" Diggle responded. "Sounds like a plan, remind Lyla that we have a yoga session this Sunday." said Felicity. "Will do, thanks again for gifting her those yoga sessions, her OB/GYN highly approved of it." Diggle said and bid his goodbyes to both of them as he made his way out of the lair.

As soon as Diggle left, Felicity turned to Oliver and asked "You've been quiet. Is everything alright?". "Yeah, I was just thinking. Nothing to worry about. So, dinner?" Oliver replied as he walked closer to Felicity's chair and gave her shoulders a nice rub. "If you don't stop massaging me with those marvelous hands of yours, I might just skip dinner and pass out, Hon. I'll leave you to decide what kind of food you want" purred Felicity, who was clearly enjoying the impromptu shoulder rub. "Well, you wanted to try that Ethiopian place, right?" Oliver asked. "We don't have to, there's always next time if you're not up for it tonight. We could always try it when we're with Digg and Lyla. So, what do you want? I'll be good with whatever you choose." Felicity said as she looked up to Oliver. Even in the most simple and mundane instances, she never fails to radiate the love, trust, and care that she feels for him and Oliver is thankful and makes sure he reciprocates so she knows how he feels. "Let's go with Italian then, everybody loves Italian." he suggested.

After a casual dinner at an Italian bistro in downtown Starling, where they talked, laughed, and ate, the pair walked hand in hand to their car. Oliver couldn't believe how far they've come. Since the transplant and near-death experiences (and quite a few Arrow-related ones after), both Oliver and Felicity decided to try being in a relationship. To Oliver, this relationship is what he considers his first and only serious one. They've had their ups and downs, insecurities, and issues but they stood strong. Diggle, Moira, and Thea were amazed at how healthy their relationship is. They talk and work through their problems and are very affectionate. Thea makes it a point to tease her brother for his heart eyes and how he is such a "boo-bear" (her words not his) to Felicity. Moira was impressed and happy that Oliver has found himself in a mature and stable relationship. Even though she tried to coax Oliver to move Felicity in the mansion with them, Oliver suggested that maybe a place of their own is better. And they did find a loft which was near to both QC and Verdant. They moved in together about a year ago and every day it is as if they are more in love with each other.

Felicity noticed that Oliver wasn't driving them home. "Hey, there's no traffic, are we taking a longer route?" she asked, confused. "Do you trust me?" Oliver asked. "Did you have to ask?" she responded. "I guess I just wanted to hear it. Come on, our night isn't over yet." teased by the man she irrevocably loves. "At least tell me where we are going Oliver Jonas Queen; you know how much I hate mysteries." Felicity pried. "I am well aware of that, hon, just let me take the lead on this." He said as he pulled up to the Queen Consolidated parking lot and leans in for a kiss. "What are we doing at QC? Did you forget something? Did I forget something?" Felicity asked, now more confused. Oliver just smiled as he took her hand in his and walked them both to the elevators.

It was quiet and no one else except for the security guards was there. They got off at the 11th floor, where Oliver led Felicity to a familiar office. "This is my old office. A lot has changed since I left this place. Are you feeling nostalgic, because I sure do?" Felicity looked around with a small smile on her face. Felicity sat at the chair behind the desk and spun, "Remember when you visited me and gave me this god-awful excuse – spilled a latte on a bullet-ridden laptop and coffee place in a bad neighborhood. Are you okay?" she asked a bit worried as she took in Oliver's pensive yet adoring stare. "I'm more than okay. I just thought I'd bring you here in the first place we officially met each other, on that day, October 24th." Felicity looked at him surprised and choked, suddenly overcome with emotion "You remembered." "Of course, I do. I'll always remember anything that has to do with you. That was one of the most important, if not the most important turning point of my life." Oliver responded standing in front of her chair, leaning against the desk. "Me too" Felicity replied, still a bit affected that Oliver decided to casually bring her back to their first meeting spot on the anniversary of their meeting. She loved this man. Her thoughts were interrupted as Oliver spoke again "So, I've lived the first 27 years of my life without you, and you've lived 23 years of yours without me." He starts to get down on one knee and pulls out a black velvet box and opening it to reveal an emerald ring surrounded by diamonds. "I think it's time that we live the rest of our lives together. Felicity Meghan Smoak, will you give me the absolute pleasure and privilege of marrying me?" Oliver asked with a hopeful expression and glassy eyes. Felicity has tears in her eyes. She nods and says, "I will – and it will be my pleasure and privilege as well." As soon as she responds, she kisses him and pours out the love she feels for him – letting him know that he is her happy story and soon, her happily ever after. They come up for air and gaze lovingly at each other. "I haven't even put the ring on your finger yet" Oliver chuckles. "I care more about the guy asking, AKA my fiancé! We're engaged." Felicity kisses him again. They both walked out of QC and make their way home where they celebrate their engagement in the most passionate way. Oliver felt contentment and excitement at the sight of his fiancé curled up to him with a sheet covering her gorgeous body with her left hand covering his, her ring finger now adorned with a promise to spend the rest of their lives together. As Felicity dozed off, Oliver sent a text to both Diggle and Thea letting them know: SHE SAID YES!

They got married months later in a simple ceremony with only their closest family and friends. They both decided to have it on the same day that Oliver revealed himself as the Arrow to Felicity.


End file.
